New or expanding businesses in the Waimakariri District now have even more assistance on hand than ever before with the release of a range of new services and resources from both Enterprise North Canterbury (ENC) and Waimakariri District Council (WDC).

Local economic development agency ENC has produced a free online course for those thinking of starting a business. ENC Business Support Manager Miles Dalton says the new Business Start Up Course is aimed at those taking their first foray into, or even just thinking about, starting a business.

“The course is a gentle introduction to all of those things that first-time business operators may not have even thought about. It pools information and resources on some of the key steps in starting a business, and gets participants thinking about essential components before they even get their idea off the ground.”

The course complements ENC’s existing business support services, which include an abundance of online information, business training, networking events and free one-on-one business assessments for businesses at any stage of their journey.

At the same time, the Waimakariri District Council (WDC) is set to launch its new ‘Taking Care Of Business’ initiative to support new and expanding business owners in the Waimakariri.

Taking Care of Business provides both information and a new service to people looking to set up, expand or change a business in the District. A detailed brochure outlines the steps and regulations business owners need to consider when setting up their business. It provides information on building consent and various licensing, registration and compliance requirements.

The initiative also includes the Council’s free Case Management Service which provides a single contact point for business owners and guidance as they work through the various Council processes.

Council Business & Centres Manager, Simon Hart, says Waimakariri is one of the fastest growing districts in New Zealand and business support is seen as an essential Council service.

“We’re always keen to welcome new business initiatives or commercial developments, and so it’s important that we make it as easy as possible for people to get underway,” he said.

“Taking Care of Business aims to streamline the Council process for business owners and provide them with all the information they’ll need before they get started.”

The Taking Care of Business booklet – available in both hard copy and digital versions – also includes detailed information on the services provided by ENC.

The Waimakariri District is currently home to almost 6,500 businesses, 654 of which were registered last year.

To view the Taking Care of Business brochure or find out more about the service, visit www.waimakariri.govt.nz/business. Hard copies are available at a number of key locations, including the WDC Service Centre in Rangiora and the ENC Business Centre in Kaiapoi.